“So far we haven’t had to issue any fines, which suggests the cruise lines are doing a good job of informing passengers about their biosecurity responsibilities,” said Steve Gilbert, border clearance services director, Biosecurity New Zealand.

He said until recently, fines could be issued to travellers who were permanently leaving a vessel.

“This is about empowering our officers to send a clear message about how important biosecurity is to New Zealand,” Mr Gilbert said.

“Some people think cruise ship biosecurity is all about detector dogs. But ultimately our officers are our most important asset. We don’t always need to bring in detector dog teams to help with clearances, but we couldn’t protect New Zealand without our skilled and dedicated officers.”